I have a lot of time for Troy Reeb. Last month, when the opportunity arose to speak with the top programming executive at Corus Entertainment about Global Television’s 50th anniversary, I quickly jumped at the chance. Mr. Reeb is generally readily accessable to reporters and, as a former on-air correspondent for Global News, is articulate,
At this time of year, Canadian broadcasters have traditionally ramped up the ballyhoo with breathless releases about all the fabulous new shows they’re importing for the coming season. The phrases most often used to achieve this are “most talked-about acquisition,” and, wait for it, “buzzworthy.” On Wednesday in Toronto at Corus Entertainment’s first post-COVID in-person
UPDATED: Global buried the lead Wednesday. Their nearly hour-long, virtual “UsFront” (they don’t call it an UpFront) reel was half done before the proud boasts began. Eventually, however, those who fought through a long streaming delay (this happens to at least one of Canada’s major media companies every year of this virtual era) came to
Global framed their 43 minute, virtual upfront presentation Wednesday with an old-fashioned “let’s put on a show” approach. Food Network Canada host Noah Cappe kidded around as the director of the virtual video, introducing Corus execs such as Doug Murphy, Troy Reeb and Barb McKergow. Hey, it’s been a long year in lockdown. Things opened
“Is regular network TV programming dead? These four Canadian broadcast execs say no, it’s evolving.” That’s the headline to a feature I wrote appearing in Saturday’s Toronto Star. Read the full story here if you’re a subscriber or, better yet, buy a copy. People have been writing the network TV obit for years. Tina Fey